Wood-type golf club with detachable face plate



Feb. S, 1968 W K` BALDWlN 3,368,812

WOOD-TYPE GOLF CLUB WITH DETACHABLE FACE PLATE.'

lFiled June 29, 1964 FIG. 6.

/4 i l 2 y /0 FIG: 9. v JNVENTOR.

BY MMM/ww anne/ways.

UnitedStates Patent Oiice.

3,368,812 Patented Feb. 13, 196sv This invention generally relates towood-type golf clubs and more particularly a wood-type golf club that isperfectly balanced.

An object of the invention is that it is constructed in a unique way, byinserting a conventional shaft through a bore at a conventional anglethrough the center of the club head with the end at the bottom of theshaft approximately one-half inch in front of the perpendicular centerline, putting the shaft and massive weight directly behind the point ofimpact with the golf ball, giving a much more effective ball impact whenthe club is swung in the proper manner.

Another object of the invention is when the golf ball is hit by thestriking plate in the center of the striking surface the torque ispractically eliminated, and even if the golf ball is struck on the offcenter heel or toe of the club the torque is minimized to a very greatdegree. In a conventional wood-type golf club a shaft is connected tothe wooden head through a bore at the rear or heel portion of the head,thus creating tremendous torque problems, such as a twisting actionwhich occurs upon impact with the golf ball, relative to the head withthe shaft, which in other words is out of alignment.

Still another object of the invention is it is constructed to provide amuch larger striking surface horizontally than does a conventionalwood-type golf club.

Still another object of the invention is that my woodtype golf club isdesigned in such a fashion that it will improve a golf players score byminimizing what is commonly known to golf players as hooks and slices,and furthermore a conventional positive grip handle will be used tofurther enhance the straight ball.

Still another object of the invention is that my woodtype golf club headcan be manufactured entirely of wood in four separately matched clubsconventionally designated as a No. 1 Wood Driver, No. 2 Wood Brassie,No. 3 Wood Spoon, and No. 4 Wood, which have progressively more of anangle of slope or loft on the face or striking surface of the club head.The term wood-type club as used hereinafter and in the claims refersspecifically to those clubs normally so designated in the art and aboveenumerated, as distinguished from irons and putters. Or, these same fourclub heads can be made of wood as forementioned with fixed strikingplates made of a hard durable plastic, or molded or extruded aluminum.Or, my wood-type golf club can be manufactured in a more novel way as a4 in l golf club by making one (l) club with 4 various No. l, 2, 3, and4 snap on and olf striking plates made of a hard durable plastic, ormoulded or exL truded aluminum.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof, whereinlike numbers refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG-URE 1 shows a front elevation with sectional views of the club head,shaft, and handle of this invention showing how the shaft runs throughthe center of the club head directly behind the center of impact and inthe center of gravity for perfect balance. The X marks the center spot.It also shows the horizontally grooved face of the striking surface.

FIGURE 2 shows a side sectional view from the heel of the club head,FIGURE 2 being taken substantially on the vertical plane of line 2-2 ofFIGURE l, looking in the direction of the arrows, and showing theposition of the shaft and the slight vertical curvature on the face ofthe striking plate. The horizontal surface of the face is straight. Italso shows the metal sole.

FIGURE 3 shows a top View of the club head again showing the position ofthe shaft relative to the center of gravity, and the horizontal surfaceof the face as being straight, and a larger striking surface than aconventional wood-type golf club.

FIGURE 4 is an exploded end elevational view, partly in cross-section,and showing one of a set of four striking plates juxtaposed relative tothe golf club head for snap on and off connection therewith.

FIGURES 5, 6 and 7 each illustrate, respectively, in transverse Verticalcross-section, the others of the set of snap on and off striking plates.

FIGURE 8 shows a full view of a conventional woodtype golf clubsuspended loosely in a horizontal position showing how all the weight ofthe club head falls olf and downward to the toe of the club which is outof alignment creating a great torque problem.

FIGURE 9 shows a full view of my invention suspended horizontally alongthe shaft in the same manner as FIGURE 8, but indicating the object ofperfect balance showing how the face or striking surface of the clubhead faces up (on the level) proving the massive weight is placeddirectly behind the point of impact with the golf ball and in the centerof gravity.

In carrying out the invention, referring now specifically to thedrawings in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3 my wood-type golf club has a wood head 10which is shaped in such a way as to also be designated as 10-7 which isthe toe of the head and 10-H which is the heel of the head. It is alsoshaped to provide a ball striking surface 11 and a hosel 12 in the formof a hollow extension emanating from near the center of the head forreceiving the shaft |13 which in turn receives the handle 14. The clubhead 10 has a ball striking surface 11 formed entirely out of wood whichforms the head 10 or as per the disclosed structure showing fixedstriking plates 11 made of some hard durable plastic material or moldedor extruded aluminum, scored horizontally to create top spin to the golfball. The striking plate 11 is secured to the -cl'ub head 10 by screws17. This club like most other wood-type clubs, also has a metal soleplate 15 secured to the bottom by screws 16 to protect and improve thewearing qualities of the bottom of the club. Shaft |13 has a positivetype handle grip 14 of leather, rubber, or other conventional materialextending along the end portion of the shaft 13 opposite the club head10.

FIGURES l and 3 show that in the club head of this invention shaft 13passes directly through the center of gravity, as designated by thephantom lines 23 and 24 and the center of the tip of shaft 13 isapproximately one-half inch forward (the distance Z designated in FIG-URE 1) of the center of gravity lines 23 and 24 towards the toe 10-T ofthe club head 10. The position of the shaft 13 as illustrated by dottedlines in FIGURES l, 2, and 3 is the important object in minimizingtorque while the club is being swung and upon impact with the golf ballon the center of the striking surface 11. Even if the golf ball isstruck toward the heel 10-H or the toe 10-T on the large strikingsurface 11 the torque on the shaft 13 is greatly reduced over theconventional wood-type golf club 22. When the ball is hit perfectlythere is practically no sensation, to the golfer, of torque on the shaft13.

When using a conventional wood-type golf club 22, unless the handle isgripped tightly, and incidentally there are many specially designedhandles for golf clubs on the market to help keep the clubs fromtwisting in your hands, the torque is so great that it creates atwisting action knocking the ball in what is commonly called a slice orhook direction. In 'my invention I am correcting the above problem bydesign features in the club head and not in the handle. With myinvention you may relax quite a bit more and you can stand a littlecloser to the ball in a more erect position.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view like FIGURE 2 and when taken together withFIGURES 5, 6 and 7, these figures illustrate the 4 in l design of one(l) golf club with four various snap on and off striking plates 1-1-1,11-2, 11-3, and 11-4. The receiving plate 18 is secured to the head 10by screws 19. There will be three female receptacles 21 equally spacedhorizontally across the receiving plate 18 to provide the female portionof the snap. Each of the four various snap on and olf striking plates11-1, 11-2, 11-3, and 11-4 will be provided with three correspondinglyspaced male portions of the snap 20 as illustrated. The male portion ofthe snap 20 will be made in such -a way as to contract and expand whenforced in and out of the female receptacle 21. Each of the four variousstriking plates 11-1, 11-2, 11-3, and 114 will have progressivey more ofan angle of slope or loft with a slight vertical curve and each will bescored horizontally across the face of the striking surface to createtop spin to the golf ball. Each striking plate 11 Will be straightacross the horizontal surface and the edges will be rounded off toconform with the overall design of the club head 10.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalentsrnay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

Having thus completely and fully described the invention, I desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States and what is now claimed asnew is as follows:

1. A wood-type golf club having a driving head provided with a drivingface, a toe and a heel, and including a hosel having a boretherethrough, inclined toward the heel, said hosel being positionedsubstantially centrally of the head in a direction transverse to thedriving face thereof and spaced inwardly from the heel, said boreentering said head at a point adjacent the center thereof in a directionparallel to the driving face and extending through the center of gravityof the head, a shaft secured in said hosel, a handle on the shaft, saidclub further including a vertically convexed horizontally straightdriving plate secured to said driving face, said plate having a at rearsurface, and being thicker at the bottom than at the top to provide aninclined vertically convexed driving surface with the impact pointaligned wtih the center of gravity of the head, said plate beingprovided with a plurality of straight, spaced apart horizontal groovesacross its convexed surface, and said plate being detachably connectedto said face by means of a snap fastening element.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,253,700 1/1918 McLaughlin273-801 1,511,479 10/1924 Kelly et al 273-175 1,525,137 2/1925 Lawton273-175 2,056,335 10/1936 Wettlaufer 273-79 2,447,967 8/1948 Stone273-77 2,855,206 10/1958 Haviland 279-1 1,524,488 1/1925 Read 273-169581,331 4/1897 Brewster 273-80 X 2,960,338 11/1960 Havey et al. 273-167X FOREIGN PATENTS 637,948 5/1950 Canada.

ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Examiner.

R. J. APLEY, Assistant Examiner.

1. A WOOD-TYPE GOLF CLUB HAVING A DRIVING HEAD PROVIDED WITH A DRIVINGFACE, A TOE AND A HEEL, AND INCLUDING A HOSEL HAVING A BORETHERETHROUGH, INCLINED TOWARD THE HEEL, SAID HOSEL BEING POSITIONEDSUBSTANTIALLY CENTRALLY OF THE HEAD IN A DIRECTION TRANSVERSE TO THEDRIVING FACE THEREOF AND SPACED INWARDLY FROM THE HEEL, SAID BOREENTERING SAID HEAD AT A POINT ADJACENT THE CENTER THEREOF IN A DIRECTIONPARALLEL TO THE DRIVING FACE AND EXTENDING THROUGH THE CENTER OF GRAVITYOF THE HEAD, A SHAFT SECURED IN SAID HOSEL, A HANDLE ON THE SHAFT, SAIDCLUB FURTHER INCLUDING A VERTICALLY CONVEXED HORIZONTALLY STRAIGHT DRIV-